Coin vending apparatus



April 6, 1965 C. R. STEVENS COIN VENDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5| lefdls 35 WML WXL

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INVENTOR.

CARLILE RSTEVENS BY Attorney April s, 1965 Filed Dec. 14, 1961 C. R. STEVENS COIN VENDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR. CARLlLE R. STEVENS @www Aforney April 6, 1965 c. R. STEVENS COIN VENDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 14, 1961 J WWW FIG..4

JNVENToR. CARLILE R. STEVENS Attorney fent monetary values can be United States Patent O This invention relates to coin vending apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for storing a quantity of coins having diiferent sizes indicating various monetary values` and for selectively vending these coins so that the vended coins representa desired monetary total.

In the past, it has been extremely difficult to lprovide a coin vending apparatus which is capable of storing a vast quantity yof coins, such as nickels, dimes and quarters and to provide a means for vending and dispensing given quantities these coins in order to provide accurate and proper change generally encountered when a business Itransact-ion takes place. Such transactions usually take place in motion picture theaters, amusement parks, parking lots, and other commercial enterprises where a cashier is `employed for selling tickets, articles, products or the like, for receiving money and for making change based on the money value received.

Oneof the ditliculties in prior apparatus stems largely from the 'fact that in order to load and unload the storage container portion of the apparatus with coins usually require-s an extensive removal of parts and the containers themselves are not capable of storing large quantities of coins. Furthermore, diiiiculties are often encountered because of complex and cumbersome mechanical structures for effecting selection of the coins to be dispensed and in the means for dispensing the selected coins.

Another major diiliculty resides in the fact that conventional coin vending machines are not susceptible for incorporation into automated systems which may employ digital or analog computing devices, or the like.

Therefore, it is the primary object or" this invention .to provide a coin vending apparatus which is of unitary design to provide for a vast storage of diierent size coins representingdissimilar monetary values and to provide a selection mechanism and dispensing means which -is relatively simple to operate and maintain and yet flexible in design for readily storing and accumulating a vast quantity of coins.

It is another object of the present Iinvention to provide a coin vending apparatus which is capable of automatic operation in conjunction with electrical control signals initiated from an electronic digital or analog computer `or other control source.

` A further object of the present invention is to provide a coin vending apparatus which is fail-safe in operation such that a predetermined quantity of coins having difierproperly and accurately selected and dispensed speedily without encountering a human error7 factor;

t Still another object of the present invention is to pro- `vide a coin vending apparatus which includes a novel means for storing a vast quantity of coins having dissimilar monetary values such that the replenishing of the coins in the storage containers may be readily made available by an operator by decoupling expended containers or magazines and coupling fully loaded containers to the dispensing means. i

Still another `object of the present invention is to provide a novel coin vending apparatus which is electromechanically operated responsive to electrical signal input.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed dethe opening in the tube.

3,176,696 Patented Apr.. 6, i965 scription when read in light of the accompanying drawings, in which: i

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, in cross-section, of the coin vending apparatus incorporating the present invention taken in the direction of arrows 1 1 of FIG- URE 3; i

FlGURE 2 is a front elevational view, in cross-section, of the coin vending apparatus of FIGURE l taken in the direction of arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 3; i

FIGURE 3 is a top View of the coin vending apparatus of FIGURE l showing the arrangement of the coin storage magazines with respect to each other; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of an exhausted coin magazine sensor employed in the coin storage magazine of FIGURE 3 with reference to the dispensing means taken in the direction Iof arrows 4 4.

With reference to FIGURES l and 2 a coin vending or dispensing apparatus in accordance with the present invention is illustrated which shows the various mechanism and components `of the apparatus enclosed wit-hin a housing or cabinet 1li. Such components enclosed by housing 1li include a plurality of coin storage magazines, such as the magazine indicated in the general direction of arrow 11, a coin selection and collector disc 12, an electrical motor 13 and mechanical gear train mechanism indicated in the general direction of arrow 14 which couples the electrical motor 13 to the coin select-or and collector disc.

The top of housing 10 is provided with a cashiers counter 15 which is provided with a coin dish 16 suitable for receiving dispensed coins from the vending coin selection and collector disc.

With particular reference to FIGURE 1, a coin storage magazine is shown in the general direction of arrow 11 having an elongated tube 17 for receiving and storing a plurality of coins such as coin 13 so that the coins stack on top of one another. A notch 19 in the lower end of the tube is adapted to engage about a mounting rod 2@ carried on the housing to support the` coin magazine when installed. Within the storage tube, there is incorporated a helical spring 21 which has one end butting against the bottom of the tube and normally expanding upwards towards the open top end of the tube. The end of spring 2l opposite to its end butting against the lower portion of the tube forcibly urges a member 2li towards the open end of the tube. Seated on a curved surface of member Z4, there is disposedthe stack of coins which is forcibly urged bythe spring out of However, the position of disc 12 retains the coins within the magazine until the disc is actuated to select and `dispense coins from the magazine. t

Each magazine is provided with a handle 27 which a cashier or other operator can easily grasp in order to remove a magazine from its installed position `or, conversely, to install a fully loaded magazine into operating position.

When a fully loaded magazine is transported prior to installation into the vending apparatus, a spring clip 30 maintains the coins within the tube against the outward urging of the spring 21. Clip 3d is maintained in this position due to the spring biasing of a pin 31 which engages with the dat surface of a pivoting pin 33 which rotatably supports the clip Sil.

When the magazine is installed within the vending apparatus, a rounded portion 34 of clip 3d engages a block 35 which causes clip 3d to rotate on its mounting pin 3d as the magazine is pushed into place so that the urging of spring 21 forces the coin stack into position against the disc 12.

Each magazine is provided with a projection 37 which,

Y fore actual exhaustion occurs.

- not in operation.

upon magazine installation into the Vending apparatus,

enters a receptacle 38 in a portion of the housing. Each projection 37 is provided with a dog 4@ which forces a retention ball 41 downward against its biasing spring t2 out of the recess. Once the projection has fully entered the recess, the spring biasing for the retention ball urges the ball into contact with the projection behind dog dil.

With reference to FIGURE 4, a sensor is shown in 'the general direction of arrow 39 which comprises, in general, a reciprocal member 43 which has a rounded end 44 normally engaging the edge of the coin stack stored within the magazinetube. The opposite end of the memberv to its rounded end is held against a leaf spring 4S which, in this position, normally closes an electrical switch 46. However, when the spring 21 has urged the member 24 and the associated vstacked coins resting thereon out of the tube top opening, the rounded portion 44 of member 43 will enter the annular space provided about a reduced central portion in member 24 due to the exertion of the leaf spring bias to the member 43. Such action causes the release of the electrical switch so that a suitable display light or the like may indicate tothe cashier or operator that the magazine is exhausted of coins.

An important feature resides in the construction to permit the sensor to indicate the depletion of coins be- This is achieved by introducing the member 43 through an aperture 47 located in tube 17 a short distance from the top opening thereof. As shown in FIGURE 4, the sensor is actuated when the last three coins remain in the'magazine so that another fully loaded magazine may beV requested from a central supply oice without disrupting the vending apparatus operation. It is to be noted that the sensor may be arranged anywhere along tube 17 so that a suitable signal will be initiated for any desired number of v coins remaining in the tube coin stack.

With particular reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, it is seen that the disc 12 is rotatably supported by a bearing h securing the disc to the underside of the cashiers counter as well as to permit the disc to rotate about a mounting pin 51. The periphery of the disc is provided with a plurality of gear teeth 52 so that the disc may be 'selectively rotated upon the driven rotation of a shaft 5d journaled to a supporting portion of the housing. Shaft '54 is provided with a plurality of gear teeth 55 for engaging the gear teethV 52 of the disc and is further provided on its opposite end with a driven gear 56. Gear 55 is engaged with a drive shaft 57 which is rotatably carried on supporting structure in the housing. Drive shaft 57 is selectively rotated by means of an electrically operated clutch mechanism 5S.

Power for driving the plurality of discs via the mechanical means comprised of the aforementioned gears, shafts and clutch mechanism is provdied by the electric motor 13. Power from the motor 13 to each clutch mechanism is provided via a common belt and pulley arrangement 59. By means of the employment of the selectively operated clutch mechanisms, motor 13 may be maintained in continual operation while the clutch mechanisms are disengaged during the time that the vendor apparatus is However, the clutch mechanisms are electrically operated so that upon receiving electrical control signals to its electrical leads (not shown), the clutch mechanism is caused to engage so that actuating power from the motor is transferred to selected coin dispensing discs for vending operation. In this fashion, the vending operation is instantaneous and, therefore, the apparatus of the present invention is entirely compatible'with electronic instantaneous solution computing devices.

With reference to FIGURE 3, it is noted that two sets *of coin magazines are shown indicated generally in the direction of arrows 62 and 63 wherein each set employs Vthree separate magazines associated with a single selec- `within the disc recesses.

i tion and collector disc 12. Each disc is formed with four recesses, such as recess 64, provided about the edge marginal region of each disc. The recesses are directed and arranged to open over the plurality of coin maga-Y It is to be further noted that zines as the discs rotate. each recess in a disc has a normal position directly over the opening of a coin supply tube as shown more clearly in FIGURES l and 4. In this fashion and by this arrangement, each tube 17 carrying a supply of coins has its top coin in the stack urged into a recess of the respective discs awaiting operation of the apparatus. For f example when each set of magazines holds nickels, at least three nickels are located within the three recesses held in readiness for vending. Although the aforementioned monetary values of coins have been used, it is to be understood that any arrangement of coins orV values of coins may be placed within the vending apparatus depending upon the particular application and mode of operation for the business operation at hand. That is to say, in most amusement operations, the dispension of pennies is not required and, therefore, only quarters and nickels may be required since any resultant `monetary value ending in ten or five can be derived from any given combination of nickels and quarters. Inasmuch as two nickels have the same monetary value as a dime, a set of magazine tubes carrying nickels may be used in conjunction with a set of magazine tubes containing quarters to arrive at a desired amount of monetary change value.

Each recess 12 is slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the coin it is intended to receive so that coin hang-up or binding will not occur. The depth of each recess is sufficient to receive a given coin of certain thickness so that once the coin has been placed in a recess, the bottom surface of the coin is Hush with the top of the magazine tubes in each magazine set. This arrangement permits each disc 12 to rotate while Vthe coins are carried The bottom of the coins slide over the magazine tubes and their surrounding supporting structure, such as structure 65.

Inasmuch as a portion of the cashiers counter 15 is provided with a depression or dish 16 extending under a portion of the disc edge marginal region, coins carried.

by the disc rotating will bedropped in a serial sequence into the dish. The emptied recess will receive another coin as the disc continues to rotate. A feature resides in the fact that coins will be taken from only one magazine at a time within a set of magazines since an empty recess will pass every coin tube in each set of magazines in a serial relationship. Because of this serial coin pickup and vending, the coins stacked in the initial magazine will be depleted rst followed by coin depletion of the second magazine in line and, in turn, coin depletion of the last magazine. Therefore, it is necessary to provide only a single exhausted coin sensor 42 per set of coin magazines and such provision is installed in connection with the last magazine of each set such as clearly illustratedV in FIGURE 3. In actual operation, a plurality of coin magazines, such as magazine 11, are installed in cabinet 10. The magazines associated with sets 62 and -63 are installed by initially placing notch 19, as shown -tion of tube 17 is pivoted so that projection 37 enters recess 38. As the magazine is further rotated on rod 20, dog 40 on projection 37 passes over spring biased ball 41 so that when the projection has fully extended into recess 38, ball 41 pushes behind dog 40 to retain the magazine in place. cess 38, rounded portion 36 of clip 30 engages with block 34 and the clip is rotated clockwise so that the uppermost coin in the stack of coins carried in tube 17 enters into one of the recesses 64 of the selector and collector disc 12.

Motor 13 may be turned on so that its output shaft lrotates pulley and belt arrangement 59 as well as a por- During the insertion of projection 37 into re- '1 tion of clutch mechanism 58 associated with each set of magazines. However, the clutch mechanism remains in its normally disengaged position.

During a normal business transaction, a cashier may receive a sum of money over the amount required for the transaction so that change must be made for the customer. The amount of change may be determined mentally by .the operator or automatically by analog or digital computing devices or by 'other suitable mechanical or electro-mechanical equipment. In the event mental computation of change takes place, the operator need merely press certain selected buttons on a keyboard (not shown) so that these depressions can be converted into electrical signals which operate the clutch mechanism 58 of each set of magazines into engagement. In the event automatic computing equipment is employed, the electrical output of the device can be employed to actuate clutch mechanism 5S. In either event, the selection of either clutch mechanism 58 associated with set 62 or the clutch mechanism associated with set 63, or both as the transaction may dictate, are actuated to bring the selected clutch mechanism into engagement so that the actuating power applied from motor 13 via pulley and belt arrangement 59 can be applied to the gear train consisting of gear shaft 57, gear 56, shaft 54 and pinion gear 55.

Inasmuch as pinion gear 5S meshes with gear teeth 52 provided about the periphery of disc 12, disc 12 will rotate in a clockwise direction on its bearing 50 about centering shaft 51.

As the disc rotates, each coin contained in a disc recess 64 drops into dish 16 where collection may be manually made. As the disc continues to rotate, each recess is replenished as its passes over a magazine tube 17. The uppermost coin in each stack of coins contained within tube 17 is urged into an empty disc recess under the spring bias of spring 21 acting upon member 24 on which the coin stack rests. Disc 12 will continue to rotate through many operations of clutch mechanism 58 engagement and disengagement whereby disc 12 will rotate over the tubes and coin stacks associated with each set of magazines. When a tirst tube is exhausted of coins, the second tube in the series will furnish coins for vending operations. Upon the exhaustion of coins in the second tube, coins will be supplied from the third tube in the series. In this manner, a large quantity of coins can be stored in a minimum space area and with relatively single construction permitting convenient replenishment of coin supply.

As the coins from the last tube in the series near exhaustion, sensor 39 is activated in which member 43 is urged through an aperture 47 in tube 17 by the bias of spring 45 into an annular space about member 24. The advancement of member 43 of the sensor into the annular space about member 24 releases an electric switch 46 so that a suitable display or indicator may be actuated to notify an operator or cashier that a magazine Vset is nearing coin exhaustion.

When the apparatus of the present invention is in use, motor :13 may be maintained in a continual operating condition Which will cause the pulley and belt arrangement 59 to rotate continually. However, upon the actuation of the clutch mechanism 58 by means of electrical input signals, the clutch becomes engaged and the power from motor 13 is transmitted via the engaged clutch mechanism and eventually to disc 12. If a single coin is to be vended, disc 12 is permitted to rotate only 45 degrees so that a single coin is deposited into dish 16. It is to be noted that four coins will be deposited upon a completion of 360 degrees of disc rotation. Although four recesses are shown formed in disc 12, it is to be understood that a single recess may also be employed in conjunction with a plurality of coin storage tubes. Furthermore, it is to be understood that one stack of coins may be employed or in certain situations, a plurality of stacks may be arranged adjacent each other. In the event a plurality of coin stacks are employed in any given installation, it

is only necessary for the operation of the present invention to cause the recess or recesses formed in the disc to travel in a path across the plurality of tubes in order to receive the topmost or endmost coin in the stack. Generally, it is preferred to employ a round disc having the plurality of coin stacks arranged in a circular fashion adjacent the disc so that a generally circular path is provided around which the recess or recesses travel.

In summary, there has been shown and described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a coin vending apparatus which will select and collect a coin from a stack of coins and which will remove the selected coin from the stack toa pickup or deposit station readily available for retrieval. Obviously, many modications and variations ofthe present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that lwithin the scope of the appended claims,

the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specilically described. Y

I claim:

1. A coin Vending apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of coin stacks arranged in a circular path;

(b) a housing supporting said coin stacks vertically in a side-by-side relationship so that each stack presents a topmost coin which is in the same horizontal plane as the topmost coin in adjacent coin stacks;

(c) said housing having a dish portion for receiving the topmost coin from each of said stacks;

(d) coupling means for selectively securing and unsecuring each of said coin stacks to said housing;

(e) a disc rotatably mounted upon said housing having an edge marginal region adapted to travel in a circular path over said stacks of coins and said dish portion;

(f) said disc having a recess formed in the edge marginal region adapted to receive the topmost coin of said stacks of coins;

(g) means supported on said housing selectively operatively connected to said disc for rotating said disc and its recess along its circular path to serially remove the topmost coin from said stacks of coins and to deposit the topmost coin in said dish portion;

(h) and said last mentioned means for selectively rotating said disc including a motor, a gear train operatively connected to said disc, and an electrically operated clutch mechanism selectively connected to said motor and to said gear train.

2. A coin vending apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of magazine tubes arranged in a circular path;

(b) a stack of coins stored in each tube;

(c) a housing supporting said tubes arranged vertically in a side-by-side relationship so that each stack presents a topmost coin which is in the same horizontal plane as the topmost coin in adjacent coin stacks;

(d) said housing having a dish portion for receiving the topmost coin from each of said stacks;

(e) coupling means for selectively securing and unsecuring each of said tubes to said housing;

(f) a disc rotatably mounted upon said housing having an edge marginal region adapted to travel in a circular path over said stacks of coins and said dish portion;

(g) said disc having a recess formed in the edge marginal region adapted to receive the topmost coin of said stacks of coins;

(h) means supported on said housing selectively operatively connected to said disc for rotating said disc and its recess along its circular path to serially remove the topmost coin from said stacks of coins and to deposit the topmost coin in said dish portion;

(i) and said means last mentioned for selectively rotating said disc including a motor, a gear train operatively connected to said disc, and an electrically 7 operated clutch mechanism selectively connected to said motor and to said gear train;

(j) a sensor for remotely indicating the depletion or near depletion of coins from at least one of such tubes;

(k) said sensor comprising, an electrical switch for actuating the remote indicator and mounted exteriorly of said tube and having spring means for switch actuation;

Y (l) and an actuator member having one end in abutment against said spring means and reciprocably mounted for lprojection of the other end thereof radially into said tube in abutment against the side of of said stack of coins near the topmost end of such tube whereby, upon depletion of suicient coins from said stack to cause said stack to pass said other end of said actuator member, said other end of said actuator member projects into said tube sufficiently to permit said spring means to actuate said switch.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Jussem Mar. 16, Sumner Apr. 12, Jaeger Mar. 14, Thornton June 30, Jennings Jan. 13, Mihalek Dec. 20, Brahe Feb. 21, Skillman Dec. 22, Buchholz Oct. 28, Taylor Dec. 23,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Dec. 14, Germany July 27, 

1. A COIN VENDING APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) A PLURALITY OF COIN STACKS ARRANGED IN A CIRCULAR PATH; (B) A HOUSING SUPPORTING SAID COIN STACKS VERTICALLY IN A SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP SO THAT EACH STACK PRESENTS A TOPMOST COIN WHICH IS IN THE SAME HORIZONTAL PLANE AS THE TOPMOST COIN IN ADJACENT COIN STACKS; (C) SAID HOUSING HAVING A DISH PORTION FOR RECEIVING THE TOPMOST COIN FROM EACH OF SAID STACKS; (D) COUPLING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SECURING AND UNSECURING EACH OF SAID COIN STACKS TO SAID HOUSING; (E) A DISC ROTATABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID HOUSING HAVING AN EDGE MARGINAL REGION ADAPTED TO TRAVEL IN A CIRCULAR PATH OVER SAID STACKS OF COINS AND SAID DISH PORTION; (F) SAID DISC HAVING A RECESS FORMED IN THE EDGE MARGINAL REGION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE TOPMOST COIN OF SAID STACKS OF COINS; (G) MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID HOUSING SELECTIVELY OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID DISC FOR ROTATING SAID DISC AND ITS RECESS ALONG ITS CIRCULAR PATH TO SERIALLY REMOVE THE TOPMOST COIN FROM SAID STACKS OF COINS AND TO DEPOSIT THE TOPMOST COIN IN SAID DISH PORTION; (H) AND SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ROTAT- 